diff --git a/gnu/local.mk b/gnu/local.mk
index c97a0ed3b6..779cb0dfd5 100644
--- a/gnu/local.mk
+++ b/gnu/local.mk
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ GNU_SYSTEM_MODULES =				\
   %D%/packages/boost.scm			\
   %D%/packages/bootloaders.scm			\
   %D%/packages/bootstrap.scm			\
+  %D%/packages/build-tools.scm			\
   %D%/packages/busybox.scm			\
   %D%/packages/c.scm				\
   %D%/packages/calcurse.scm			\
diff --git a/gnu/packages/build-tools.scm b/gnu/packages/build-tools.scm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8901a46576
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/packages/build-tools.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
+;;; Copyright © 2017 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
+;;;
+;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+;;; under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+;;; the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+;;; your option) any later version.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+;;; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+;;; GNU General Public License for more details.
+;;;
+;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+;;; along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+(define-module (gnu packages build-tools)
+  #:use-module ((guix licenses) #:prefix license:)
+  #:use-module (guix utils)
+  #:use-module (guix packages)
+  #:use-module (guix download)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages python)
+  #:use-module (guix build-system gnu))
+
+(define-public bam
+  (package
+    (name "bam")
+    (version "0.4.0")
+    (source (origin
+              (method url-fetch)
+              (uri (string-append "http://github.com/downloads/matricks/"
+                                  "bam/bam-" version ".tar.bz2"))
+              (sha256
+               (base32
+                "0z90wvyd4nfl7mybdrv9dsd4caaikc6fxw801b72gqi1m9q0c0sn"))))
+    (build-system gnu-build-system)
+    (arguments
+     `(#:phases
+       (modify-phases %standard-phases
+         (delete 'configure)
+         (replace 'build
+           (lambda _
+             (zero? (system* "bash" "make_unix.sh"))))
+         (replace 'check
+           (lambda _
+             (zero? (system* "python" "scripts/test.py"))))
+         (replace 'install
+           (lambda* (#:key outputs #:allow-other-keys)
+             (let ((bin (string-append (assoc-ref outputs "out") "/bin")))
+               (mkdir-p bin)
+               (install-file "bam" bin)
+               #t))))))
+    (native-inputs
+     `(("python" ,python-2)))
+    (home-page "https://matricks.github.io/bam/")
+    (synopsis "Fast and flexible build system")
+    (description "Bam is a fast and flexible build system.  Bam uses Lua to
+describe the build process.  It takes its inspiration for the script files
+from scons.  While scons focuses on being 100% correct when building, bam
+makes a few sacrifices to acquire fast full and incremental build times.")
+    (license license:bsd-3)))